Protector for railway switches



HENRY FOSS, OF DEER RIVER, MINNESOTA.

PROTECTOR FOR RAILWAY-SWITCHES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 24, 1919.

Application filed March 26, 1919., Serial No. 285,205.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY Foss, a cltlzen of the United States, residingat Deer River,

in the county of Itasca and State of Minnesota, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Protectors for Railway- Switches, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in protectors for railwayswitches. The prime object of the invention is to provide simple meansfor keeping the rails at the switch points clear of snow, ice and debrisin order that the movable switch points may function properly. With theforegoing and other objects in view the invention consists in thecombination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter fully described,pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanyindrawing which forms a part of this specification and in which Figure 1is a plan view of a railway switch provided with my improved protector.

Fig. 2is a cross section, enlarged, of Fig. 1 on line 22.

. Fig. 3 is an. enlarged fragmentary view of Fig. 2.

Like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

The reference I numeral 1 denotes the switch-rails and 2 the main-linerails. To the relatively remote sides of the rails 2 upon the ties 3 Isecure by bolts the extensions 4 of the stationary bearings 5 throughwhich the rotary rods or pintles. 6 extend that are fast to the sleeves7 formed integral with the hinge-like cover 8 of inverted trough-likeformation, which cover is adapted, in one position, to shelter or coverone switch-rail and one main-line rail at and about their point ofengagement with each other. (lovers 8 are disposed opposite each otheror in pairs to protect both switch points and to shield the same fromsnow, ice and debris. In operative position the covers 8 have their freelateral edges disposed upon the rail ties. Each pintle 6 is provided atGopis of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner Washington, D. 6.

one end with a bevel gear 9 in mesh with another bevel gear 10 arrangedupon a ro tary reach rod 11 journaled in bearings 12 secured to a tie.Each rod 11 is connected by a terminal bevel gear 13 with another bevelgear 14 fast upon a rotary control-post 15 operable by a handle 16, saidcontrol-post, as well as one end of the reach rod 11, being journaled ina frame 17 secured to one railway tie; signal wings 18 carried by thecontrol-post denote the position of the same relative to the frame 17.

By partial. rotation of the control-post the reach rod is rotated andthe covers 8 raised and lowered, two positions of the same being shownin Figs. 2 and 3. The covers are raised to permit a train to pass theswitch after which the are lowered to protect the switch. The switchrails are operated by the usual rod and lever 19, 20.

What is claimed is 1. In a protector for railway switches, a

pair of inverted trough-shaped covers secured tothe railway ties uponthe relatively remote sides of the rails, and manually operable meansfor moving said covers simultaneously to cause them to cover and uncoverthe rails substantially as set forth.

2. In a protector for railway switches, a pair of oppositely disposedinverted troughshaped covers secured to the railway ties upon therelatively remote sides of the rails, pintles operatively secured tosaid covers, a reach rod, gear-connection between said reach rod andpintles, a control-post gearconnected to said reach rod, and a handlefor actuating said control-post and connections.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY FOSS.

Witnesses:

S. J. MORAN, W. W. RoDMAN.

of I'atents,

